One way of looking at tantrums is to describe them as 'attention seeking'. In previous generations, indeed, the response often was 'That child just needs a good hiding.' When we have an angry, upset or sad child in front of us, we often have an urge to ignore them, exile them or take over the problem. Diane will help us sort out whether we are dealing with a wobbly of control, upset or despair, with practical suggestions about what we can do. This is part of Diane's 'Temperament, Tips and Tachlis' series.